Tracing Brain Evolution in Africa: Evidence from Fossil Endocasts

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• Edwin De Jager, University of Cambridge
• Tuesday 25 February 2025, 13:00-14:00
• Garrod Seminar Room, MacDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.

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Understanding the evolution of the hominin brain is critical for reconstructing the origins of human cognition, behaviour, and social complexity. Fossil endocasts, natural or digital replicas of the braincase interior, provide valuable evidence about brain size, shape, and cortical organization in extinct species. These data allow researchers to explore the cognitive capacities of early hominins and their interactions with their physical and social environments, while also shedding light on anatomical diversity within fossil assemblages, including those with debated taxonomies.

Africa, as the cradle of humankind, offers a rich fossil record that reveals key aspects of brain morphology, polymorphisms, and the evolutionary changes shaping neural structures across multiple hominin species. High-resolution imaging and automated techniques were used to detect and catalogue sulcal imprints, focusing on the evolution of historically debated brain structures involved in key cognitive advancements. Distinct brain morphotypes were identified, ranging from more “ape-like” to extant human-like configurations, illustrating the mosaic nature of brain evolution in hominins.

These findings shed light on how brain anatomy varied across taxa over time, providing further evidence of evolutionary adaptations in response to ecological and social pressures. By integrating palaeontological data with advanced digital methodologies, this research underscores the pivotal role of African fossil endocasts in reconstructing the evolutionary history of the human brain.

To attend the talk online: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ap30TR_XT0paZImn_9u48xGmQW632DVb_5DPl6N-Bl7A1%40thread.tacv2/1737368193812?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2249a50445-bdfa-4b79-ade3-547b4f3986e9%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22fd6eb29a-becf-4b01-bc4b-963ba412d20f%22%7d

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This talk is part of the African Archaeology Group Seminar Series series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• African Archaeology Group Seminar Series
• Garrod Seminar Room, MacDonald Institute for Archaeological Research

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